Devin Hodge

 Argonne National Laboratory doesn’t have a mayor, but if it did, that mayor would have been Devin Hodge.

For so many employees, he was one of the first people they met at the lab, whether as a member of their hiring committee, an official navigator, or an unofficial tour guide. Devin was quick with a warm smile, an effortless charm, and an easy-going, cool-guy attitude. He could explain any acronym, streamline any process, and geek out about the amazing science that his work supported with infectious joy.

Some friends described him as open, kind, and thoughtful. Others described him as big, goofy, and loving. But so many people used the same phrase to sum up their experience with him.

“Devin made me feel welcome.”

Devin Hodge of Orland Park died Monday, Sept. 23, after battling cancer. He was 55. He is survived by his wife Jill, his three daughters Phoebe, Betsy, and Abby, and his son Denny.

Devin leaves behind a legacy of friendship and fun, from his Hawaiian shirt Fridays, to his musical and comedy performances at service luncheons and holiday parties, to his Outlook alias as themayor@anl.gov, to the huge box of “Fun Meter” pins he passed out to cheer people up during the hardest stretches of the pandemic.

He also leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of excellence in his work across the laboratory.

Belief in the Vision of Argonne

Devin wore many hats at the Lemont laboratory, although you wouldn’t know it to look at him because his hair was always incredible, family said in his obituary.

He began his Argonne career in 1999 as a radioactive waste specialist and group leader. Over the next several years, he held positions in environmental compliance, nuclear operations, and project management. He was one of the first sustainability managers at Argonne enabling and laying the foundation for significant progress in meeting carbon footprint and energy use reduction goals.

In 2013, Devin became the Deputy Director of Operations for Argonne’s Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, a U.S. Department of Energy Innovation Hub that designed and delivered transformative new materials for batteries. At JCESR, Devin excelled at leading and managing teams and complex operations across the 20 funded collaborator institutions.

In 2017, the Computing, Environment and Life Sciences (CELS) directorate was looking for a better way to manage their directorate. CELS leadership started hearing rumors of “this Devin guy” who might just be the perfect person to help them turn their audacious plans into action.

As the directorate’s Chief Operations Officer, Devin transformed CELS by designing, implementing, and overseeing their Shared Services model of management. He led both long- and short-range strategic and tactical operations for CELS and was responsible for the development, implementation, and management of efficient, cost-effective, and high quality operational and administrative support activities for the directorate. A colleague described his work in bringing the different CELS tribes together as “magical to see.” Devin also juggled two jobs by stepping in as the Lab’s Deputy Chief of Operations for a year.

Throughout his career, Devin earned awards and honors, including being selected to the Strategic Laboratory Leadership Program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2011, and winning the UChicago Argonne Pinnacle of Education Award in 2013, the Argonne Outstanding Staff Mentor Award in 2016, the Department of Energy Secretary’s Achievement Award in both 2012 and 2018, and the Argonne Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Service in 2022.

What Would Devin Do?

Devin was a champion of Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, integrity, respect, and teamwork, values that he exemplified through his work and interactions every day.

His teammates and colleagues said that he was able to accomplish so much because he truly cared and he truly listened. He was great at defusing stressful situations and making people feel like he was always on their side.

In the wake of his passing, many friends and colleagues have taken comfort in the things that they learned from him as a mentor and collaborator.

“Devin lit up whatever room he was in.”

“He saw the potential in people and he cleared a path to help us achieve.”

“He really listened and he made you feel heard.”

“He knew how to show up for work. But he also knew when to take a victory lap.”

“The best we can do to honor Devin is to continue to excel.”

In these difficult times, perhaps we can all take a moment to pause, be thoughtful, and “be a little bit more Devin.”

Visitation and Memorial Service Honoring Devin Hodge

When: Friday, September 27Where: Parkview Christian Church, 11100 Orland Parkway, Orland Park, IL 60467

Visitation: 2 to 6 p.m. Memorial Service: 6 p.m.

Please enter on the east side of the building.